Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1887-07-07
| The Ledger
IFS THE PAPER|
For the Farmer.
InA Only $I.5o : ysar. .-es|
DR.. Talmage's First Cigar.


, The time had come Iii my boyhood
which thought demanded Of nae q
capacity to smoke. The old people q
the household could neither abide the
sight nor the smell CT the Virginia
weed. When ministers came there,
not by positive injunction, but by
sort of instinct as to what would be
safest, they whitfield their pipes ON the
back steps. II the house could not
stand sanctified smoke, it may be i'm
agined how little chance there was for
adoleseentcigar-pufiing.
By some rare good fortune which
put in my hands three cents, I found
access to atobacco store As the lid Of
the long, narrow, fragrant box opened,
and for the first time owned cigar,
my feelings of elation, manliness, su-
periority and anticipation can scarcely
be imagined, save by those who have
had the same sensation. When put
the cigar to my lips, and stuck the
lucifer match to the end of the weed.
and commenced to pull with an en-
| ergy that brought every facial muscle
to its utmost tension, my satisfaction
with this world was SO great my tempt
alton was never to want 10 leave 1t.
The cigar did not burn well. Il re-
quired an amount Of suction that
tasked my determination to the ut
most You see that my worldly means
had limited me to a quality which cost
only three cents. But, had been
taught that nothing great was ever
accomplished without All effort, and SO
I pulled away. Indeed, / had heard
my older brothers in their Latin lessons
say, orsnfa cisscu labor which trans
lated means. il you yrant to make
anything so you must scratch for II
With these sentiments, passed
down through the village street, and
out toward my CO untry home. My
head did not feel exactly right, and
the street began to rock from side to
side, 50 that it became rather uncer-
tain to me which side of the street
was on. So crossed over, but found
myself on the same side was on be-
! fore / crossed over. Indeed, I imag-
ined that was ON both sides at the
same time, and several fast teams were
driving between. / met another boy,
who asked me why looked SO pale.
and ! told him that I did not look
, pale, but that he was pale himself.
After some further walking ! sat down
under the bridge near my house and
began to reflect on the prospect OF
, early decease, and on the uncertainty
of all earthly expectations. had de-
termined to smoke the cigar all up.
and thus get the full worth OF my
money. but was finally obliged 20 throw
three-fourths of it away. knew,
however, exactly where / threw II, in
case / should feel better the next
I. day.
, Getting home, the old people were
frightened, and demanded Of me an
explanation as to my absence and the
rather whitish color Of my complex
: ion. Not feeling that was called
upon to go into particulars, and not
, wishing TO increase my parents appre-
t hension that was going TO turn out
n badly, summed np the case with the
= statement that felt miserable at the
pit of my stomach. Mustard piasters
; were Immediately administered, and
/, received careful watching for some
hours. Finally fell asleep. and for
got my humiliation and disappoint
} ment in being obliged TO throw ava,
+ threerfourths of my first cigar.--T. d
HIH T'aiaaage ia Brooklyn Magasi,se.